Apparatus for selecting coins



March 1966 MIKIO KAMEI ETAL 3,237,631

APPARATUS FOR SELECTING COINS Filed Feb. 10, 1964 United States Patent Claims. (c1. 133-3 This invention relates to apparatus for selecting coins, and more particularly to a mechanism capable of automatically selecting coins by size or diameter and intended for use as part of various coin-actuated machines such as vending machines.

In a vending machine of such type that coins of different denominations may be introduced through a single entrance, it is necessary to discriminate between such coins. Different mechanisms are known for the purpose, in one of which, for example, there is provided a pivoted lever having a pair of spaced pins at one end and being counterweighted by a weight provided at the other end. When a coin of a certain diameter smaller than the distance between the two pins is introduced, it passes through the space between the pins, unarrested by them, and gravitates perpendicularly. On the contrary, if a coin of a greater diameter than the pin-to-pin distance is introduced, it is arrested by the pins, when the lever becomes unbalanced and tilted until the coin drops off the pins onto a place farther away from the place the coin of the smaller diameter falls onto. Thus, the two types of coins fall onto different places, where different receptacles may be provided. In this manner, discrimination between different types of coins may be effected by regulating the distance between the two pins.

However, such an arrangement has the following disadvantages: The pivoted lever, once unbalanced and tilted, has to return to its original balanced position before it is ready for another coin to be introduced. In other words, after having introduced a coin, one has to wait a relatively long time until completion of a selecting operation for that coin before one can introduce another coin. Otherwise, erroneous selection will be made. Therefore, continuous and accurate selection of coins introduced in rapid succession is impossible.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a new and improved mechanism which is capable of automatically and continuously selecting coins according to their sizes or diameters. In accordance with the invention, the selecting mechanism require-s no return movement for the next selecting action. Therefore, however rapidly coins may be introduced one after another with practically no interval therebetween, continuous discrimination can be effected with speed and accuracy.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of some embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like parts throughout the various figures, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the mechanism embodying the invention, with the front wall plate removed;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of another embodiment of the invention, illustrating the rotary disk only;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 of a third embodiment of the invention.

The mechanism of the invention comprises a vertical wall member, a rotary member with its one surface flush with one surface of said vertical wall member, a plurality of engaging members so provided on said rotary member 3,237,631 PatentedMar. 1, 1966 as to be equidistantly spaced on a circle whose center coincides with the center of rotation of said rotary member, another vertical wall member with its one surface facing said one surface of said first-named vertical wall member in spaced relation thereto, and passages formed between said two spaced wall members.

Referring noW in detail first to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a vertical wall plate 1 and a rotary member, here shown in the form of a disk 2 mounted in a depression formed in one surface of the wall plate 1. The disk 2 is so arranged as to be freely rotatable on a shaft 3, with its one surface always in the same plane as the interior surface of the wall plate 1. The shaft 3 is preferably received in the wall plate 1. A plurality of engaging members, shown as five pins 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 in the figures, project substantially perpendicularly from the surface of the disk 2 and are equidistantly spaced circumferentially of the disk surface, or more strictly, along a circle on the front surface of the disk whose center of rotation coincides with the center of the circle. The distance between each neighboring two of the pins depends on which type or types of coins are to be selected. In the illustrated embodiments, the pin-to-pin distance is supposed to be a little shorter than the diameter of the coins of a certain denomination to be selected.

Separated from the wall plate 1 by a distance somewhat greater than the thickness of coins to be handled, there is another vertical wall plate 9, which will be called the front plate hereinafter. It is preferable that the front plate 9 be detachable from the plate 1 and/or the space between the two plates be adjustable. It might happen that for one cause or another a coin is stopped in its course of falling through the space between the two plates. In such an instance, the space may be widened or the front plate may be taken away to eliminate the cause of stoppage.

In the space between the plates 1 and 9, there are provided three chutes or passages 10, 11 and 12. The passage 10 guides coins introduced thereinto to a position immediately above the rotary disk 2; the passage 11 receives coins of a diameter great enough to be arrested by any neighboring two of the pins planted on the disk when they are released therefrom, and leads them into, say, an acceptance receptacle (not shown); and the passage 12 is provided to direct coins of smaller diameters than the pin-to-pin distance into, say, a rejection exit (not shown).

The passage 10 is defined by two guide members 13- and 14, spaced a suitable distance apart, on the suitably inolilne'd upper edge surface 15 of which latter coins nolil (lO Wln. This passage is so arranged as to terminate immediately above the rotary disk 2, with [the lowest end of the upper surface .15 of the guide member 14 being positioned at a point on a vertical line passing through the center of the shaft 3 of the disk 2, or somewhat off the vertical line toward either side thereof, e.g., to the right, as viewed in FIG. 1. Another guide member 16 is provided at the right-hand side of the disk, with the upper portion 17 of its side surface facing the end opening of the passage v10 so that a coin having left the plassage may hit thereagainst so as to be diverted downwardly into the selector disk 2. The passage -11 is define-d by the lower p OTfiJOIII 18 of the side surface of the guide member 16 and the upper side surface 20 of a guide member [19. 'Ilhe entrance of this passage is positioned below the disk 2 somewhat toward the right. The passage 12 is defined by the other side surface 21 of the guide member 19 and the iower side surface 22 of the guide member 14. The entrance of this passage opens immediately below the rotary disk 2.

When a coin C is intnoduced into the passage 10, it gravitames rolling along the upper side surface 15 of the 3 guide member 14. As it drops off the end of the passage, it strikes against the side surface 17 of the guide member 16, as indicated at C whereupon it is diverted downwardly into the righthand portion of the selector disk '2. If the coin is of a diameter greater than the pinto-pin distance of the disk 2, it is arrested by any neighboring two of the pins, say, the pins 4 and 5, as indicated at C and can no longer fall perpendicularly therefrom. When arrested by the pins 4 and 5, the coin has its center of gravity positioned at the right-hand side of the vertical line passing through the center of rotation of the disk 2, so that the weight of the coin rotates the disk in the direction of the arrow X until the center of gravity of the coin, now indicated at C is shifted to the right of the vertical line passing through the center of the pin 5, when the coin disengages from the arresting pins and departs away from the disk 2 to tall into the passage .11, as indicated at C through which it rolls down to its destination.

It may sometimes happen that when dialling into the disk 2, the coin- C hits on a single pin. In such a case, according to the position of that pin, the coin may give the disk a moment of counterclockwise rotation. However, even when the disk carrying the coin has begun rotating in that direction, the coin will immediately strike against the end of the guide surface .15, whereby the counterclockwise movement of the disk stopped. At this time, since the coin has its center of gravity positioned at the right-hand side of the vertical line passing through the center of rotation of the disk 2, its weight gives the disk a moment of clockwise rotation in the same manner and with the same result as previously described.

When a coin C of a smaller diameter than the pin-topin distance is introduced, it can pass through the disk along the surfiace thereof, unarrested by the pins, to tall into the passage 12, as indicated at C The coinmay sometimes happen to hit on some of the pins during its course of falling. However, it only hits on a single pin at one time, and never two adjacent pins at the same time, so that even when the coin having hit on a pin has given the disk (a moment of clockwise rotation, the disk will never be able to carry the coin as far as the passage 11.

In the above described manner, coins of a diameter greater than the pinto-pin distance of the rotary disk 2 are selected into the passage '11, while coins of a diameter or diameters smaller than that are rejected into the passage 12.

The arrangement of the arresting pins on the rotary disk 2 is such that just when, upon rotation of the disk for a predetermined angle, a certain pair of pins, say, pins 5 and 6 have carried a coin to where the pins release it into the passage 11, the following pair of pins 5 and 4 are positioned just where they can receive and catch the next coin dropping 01f the end of the passage 10. Thus, continuous discrimination between coins successively introduced can be effected.

In practice, the arrangement may be such that those coins that have fallen into the passage 12 are introduced into another selector of similar construction so as to be tested again for further discrimination. In this iatter selector, the pinto-pin distance on the rotary disk is so arranged as to be smaller than that of the previous selector, so that coins of a diameter larger than the pinto-pin distance of the latter selector will be separated from those of a smaller diameter or diameters.

The passage may communicate with a coin entrance of a coin actuated mechanism, for example, an automatic vending machine, or it may be connected to that passage of a previous selector of similar construction into which coins that have passed through the rotary disk are rejected, that is, the passage of the previous selector corresponding to the passage '12. lin the latter case, it will be easily seen from the foregoing description that the pinto-pin distance of the previous selector is larger than that of the following one.

'tion of the disk.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the shaft 3 does not project out of the outer surface of the disk 2, whereas in the embodiment of FIG. 3, the shatt 31 of .the rotary disk 2 has :a portion projecting outwardly therefirom. In the latter case, the radial distance between the projection of the shaft 31 and each of the equidistantly spaced pins 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 is smaller than the distance between each neighboring two of the pins. Consequently, when a coin C of a diameter smaller than the pin-t-o-pin distance is introduced, it is arrested by any neighboring two of the pins, say, the pins 4 and 5 in the same manner and with the same result as in FIG. 1. On the other hand, a coin C of a diameter smaller than the pin-to-pin pin distance but greater than the shatt-to-pin distance is caught not by any neighboring two of the pins but the shaft projection 31 and one of the pins, say, the pin 5. The weight of the coin C :thus arrested will then rotate the disk 2 in the direction of the arrow X until the center of the gravity of the coin is brought to the right-hand side, as viewed (in FIG. 3, of the vertical line passing through the center of the pin 5, when the coin departs away trom the shaft projection 3-1 and then the pin 5 and passing through the space between the pins 4 and 5, falls onto a place, which may well be different from the place the coin C of the larger diameter has fallen onto.

. The trouble may sometimes happen that a coin dropping off the end of the passage 10 engages at its periphery with the side surface of the guide member 16 and at the same time one of the pins of the rotary disk 2 as it stands motionless. If the engaging point of the coin with that pin happens to be on the line connecting the center of rotation of the disk and the center of gravity of the coin, the coin is locked in between the pin and the side surface of the guide member 16 so as to prevent the rota- In order to avoid such trouble, it is required that the disk 2 be always set so that its pins are always in position ready to receive falling coins. To meet the requirement, the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is provided with means for intermittently exerting a damping force on the disk 2. The damping means comprises a magnet, for example, a permanent magnet 25 so supported by a suitable means such as the guide member 16 as shown in FIG. 1 that its pole is positioned adjacent the periphery of the disk. In this case, it is necessary that the pins planted on the disk be made of ferro-magnetic material. When, upon rotation of the disk, each of the pins passes by the magnet, the latter exerts magnetic force of attraction on the former so as to stop the rotation of the disk. The arrangement must be such that in the position of the disk that has been stopped, not any one of the pins should be in the path of the coin falling into the disk after having hit on the side surface 17 of the guide member 16, but a pair of pins should be in a position ready to receive the falling coin. It is also necessary that the magnetic force of attraction of the magnet is suitably smaller than the moment of rotation the coin arrested by the pins will give to the disk.

It is generally required to count the number of coins selected into the passage 11. In such a case, if the rotation of the disk 2 caused by the weight of an arrested coin is too fast, the speed at which the coin departs away from the arresting pins and, consequently, the speed at which the coin rolls down the passage will accordingly be too fast. Then, coins will be coming into a counting mechanism provided for the purpose at the end of the passage in such rapid succession and at such a high speed that they are very likely to cause errors in the operation of the mechanism and, consequently, in the result of counting. Therefore, means may advantageously be provided for slowing down the speed of rotation of the disk and, consequently, the speed of the coin departing away therefrom. An example of such means is shown in FIG. 4, wherein the numerals 26 and 27 denote a pair of permanent magnets, with the north and south poles of one of them facing the south and north poles of the other respectively across a suitable air gap. In this case, it is necessary that the disk be made of electrically conductive material, at least in its peripheral portion. The disk is so arranged relative to the spaced magnets that its periphery is always in the air gap of the magnets. As the disk rotates, its periphery cuts magnetic flux passing across the air gap, so that eddy currents are induced to perform a damping action. The method is similar to the conven tional method employed in various induction disk type of instruments or relays. The higher the speed of rotation of the disk 2, the greater the damping force will be, so that the speed of rotation of the disk and, consequently, the speed of the coins departing away therefrom will be reduced within a suitable range for correct performance of the selecting mechanism.

It is now believed to have become apparent that in accordance with the invention, continuous and automatic separation of coins is effected with speed and accuracy; the time required for the operation is greatly reduced; and in however rapid succession coins may be fed into the mechanism, errors are never caused in its operation.

It should be recognized that the embodiments disclosed herein are merely illustrative and that further modifications and changes may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for selecting coins comprising: a vertical rear plate; a rotary member with its one surface always in the same plane as one surface of said vertical rear plate; a shaft for supporting said rotary member; a plurality of engaging members provided on said one surface of the rotary member and equidistantly spaced apart on a circle on said rotary member whose center of rotation coincides with the center of the circle, said plurality being greater than two; a vertical front plate disposed to face said one surface of the rear plate across a gap large enough for coins to pass through; and passages formed in said gap, one of said passages being so arranged as to guide coins introduced thereinto to a position above said rotary member for coins to fall thereinto; said rotary member being so arranged that when a coin having a diameter greater than the distance between each neighboring two of said engaging members is arrested by any neighboring two thereof, the weight of the coin rotates said rotary member for a certain angle until it departs away from the rotary member and falls into another of said passages, whereas coins smaller in diameter than the distance between each neighboring two of the engaging members pass through the rotary member, unarrested by any neighboring two of the engaging members, so as to fall into a different one of said passages.

2. Apparatus for selecting coins of claim 1, wherein the shaft for supporting the rotary member does not project from said one surface of the rotary member,

3. Apparatus for selecting coins of claim 1, wherein the shaft for supporting the rotary member has a portion projecting from said one surface of the rotary member into said gap for engagement by coins, and the distance between said projecting portion and each of the engaging members is smaller than the distance between each neighboring two of the engaging members.

4. Apparatus for selecting coins of claim 1, wherein said engaging members are made of ferro-magnetic material, and magnetic means provided adjacent the periphery of the rotary member so as to attract the engaging members one by one for intermittently exerting a damping force on the rotary member, said damping force being smaller than the moment of rotation given to the rotary member by the weight of a coin arrested by any neighboring two of the engaging members.

5. Apparatus for selecting coins of claim 1, wherein at least the periphery of said rotary member is made of electrically conductive material, and magnetic means provided adjacent the periphery of the rotary member to perform damping action thereon.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 686,074 11/ 1901 Holzmann 194-94 1,666,849 4/1928 Fry 194-102 2,596,430 5/1952 Paulson et a1 1941()2 X 2,848,004 8/1958 Bunker et al 133-3 3,145,821 8/1964 Simpson 194-102 RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner.

S. H. TOLLBERG, Assistant Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR SELECTING COINS COMPRISING: A VERTICAL REAR PLATE; A ROTARY MEMBER WITH ITS ONE SURFACE AWAYS IN THE SAME PLANE AS ONE SURFACE OF SAID VERTICAL REAR PLATE; A SHAFT FOR SUPPORTING SAID ROTARY MEMBER; A PLURALITY OF ENGAGING MEMBERS PROVIDED ON SAID ONE SURFACE OF THE ROTARY MEMBER AND EQUIDISTANTLY SPACED APART ON A CIRCLE ON SAID ROTARY MEMBER WHOSE CENTER OF ROTATION COINCIDES WITH THE CENTER OF THE CIRCLE, SAID PLURALITY BEING GREATER THAN TWO; A VERTICAL FRONT PLATE DISPOSED TO FACE SAID ONE SURFACE OF THE REAR PLATE ACROSS A GAP LARGE ENOUGH FOR COINS TO PASS THROUGH; AND PASSAGES FORMED IN SAID GAP, ONE OF SAID PASSAGES BEING SO ARRANGED AS TO GUIDE COINS INTRODUCED THEREINTO TO A POSITION ABOVE SAID ROTARY MEMBER FOR COINS TO FALL THEREINTO; SAID ROTARY MEMBER BEING ARRANGED THAT WHEN A COIN HAVING A DIAMETER GREATER THAN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN EACH NEIGHBORING TWO OF SAID ENGAGING MEMBERS IS ARRESTED BY ANY NEIGHBORING TWO THEREOF, THE WEIGHT OF THE COIN ROTATES 